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Supply chain management (SCM) has been stressed as a remedy to many of the underlying issues in the construction industry. However, the positive examples where SCM has been successfully utilised and diminished the lingering issues in construction is scarce. The question is why. Previous studies have stressed the importance of planning both the construction project as such but also the supply chain and the logistics. As an important part of SCM, supply chain planning (SCP) focuses on planning different aspects of the supply chain through involving different members of the supply chain in the planning process. SCP in construction is scarce as the planning of the logistics in general. Failing to plan the supply chain, involving supply chain members in the planning, and integrating the processes of planning the supply chains and the construction project can be one reason for the low numbers of successful SCM adoption in construction. In improving the SCP in construction, this thesis develops a SCP framework for construction that involves the main contractor, subcontractors, and suppliers. The aim is to improve SCP, collaboration, and eliminate many of the common problems in construction through a SCM and SCP perspective.The developed framework is based on an existing planning framework for sales and operations planning. This framework is generic and synthesises planning in general. It consists of identifying/developing: outcomes, input, organisation, process, key performance measurements, and IT-tools. It is thus necessary to investigate what these aspects means in a construction context. Four research objects will be fulfilled: The first objective will aid in focusing the work with developing the framework as one aim of the framework is to aid in eliminating common logistical problems. In doing so it is needed to identify what problems exist and how the SCP framework can aid in overcoming them. The second and third objective focus on developing the framework in terms of developing a planning process (procedure) and an organisation for developing the plans. These two also includes identifying outcomes of SCP and important inputs. The final objective focus on suggesting important performance measurements for aiding in the planning process.Several different studies have aid in fulfilling the objectives and the purpose. A case study, literature review, and a series of interviews aided in fulfilling objective 1. The interview series and focus groups were used for fulfilling objectives 2 and 3. Objective 4 used the results from the case study. Through logical reasoning and compiling the previous works made it possible to finalise and develop the framework.Findings indicate that common logistical problems can be categorised as: material flow issues, internal company communication, project communication, and complexity. The first one contains problems with e.g. delivery reliability, material flows, and inventories. Company communication regards problems with e.g. sharing information internally, not updating plans, ...

Purpose This study aims to identify and categorise common on-site problems from a supply chain management (SCM) perspective and to trace the origin of these problems in the construction project process, the supply chain or in the intersection between these processes. This allows for identification of how on-site problems affect SCM in construction projects and how they can be mitigated. Design/methodology/approach A literature review in combination with semi-structured interviews was used to identify on-site problems. This enabled triangulation and strengthened both construct validity and internal validity. Findings On-site problems can be categorised in one of the four following categories: material flows, internal communication, external communication or complexity. The first category has its origin in the supply chain, the second in the construction project process, the third in the supply chain-construction process intersection on site and the fourth in the construction project as a whole. The findings conclude that on-site problems often originate from construction companies’ lack of supply chain orientation. Research limitations/implications It is suggested that supply chain planning (SCP) can facilitate on-site problem mitigation in construction project management. This extends the body of knowledge of SCP in construction project management and supports the development of effective on-site construction project management. Practical implications The results show that SCP can aid construction project management in handling on-site problems earlier in the project process. Originality/value The main value lies in extending the body of knowledge in construction project management research by applying an SCM perspective and by introducing SCP to support more effective construction project management.

The construction industry is one of the least digitally advanced industries. Although the industry is project based, a project level assessment of digitalization is lacking. The aim of this paper is to develop a digitalization index to assess the degree of digitalization of construction projects.Relying on the outcomes of a workshop with 11 participants and questionnaire responses from 113 site managers in Sweden, four activities, visualizing drawings and 3-D models on sites, updating drawings, models and system documents, creating and updating work disposition plans, and updating time resource plans were selected and a digitalization index enabling a simple assessment of the degree of digitalization of construction projects was constructed based on the degree of digitalization of the data management processes involved in these four activities. The approach to determining the digitalization index was demonstrated on a case study of a new construction project. For future studies, an accurate and simple assessment of degree of digitalization of projects should increase the opportunities to study the association between degree of digitalization and project performance. With longitudinal assessments, digitalization trends in the construction industry can be reported.